Broncos' first pick in 2026 NFL Draft deemed most questionable, leading to major need originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
One week has passed since the 2026 NFL Draft and the Denver Broncos added seven new players to the roster.
This year, George Paton and Sean Payton seemed to be on the same wavelength as the fanbase in terms of positional need and they chose players to fill those needs, hoping to tie up any loose ends on what many feel is a championship-level roster.
The Broncos traded out of the second round and acquired an early third-round pick as well as a sixth-round pick in exchange. With that pick in the third, they selected Texas A&M defensive lineman Tyler Onyedim. Though many fans were hoping the team would select an inside linebacker, the run on that position in round two forced the team to take another avenue.
The selection of Onyedim helps the team address the loss of John Franklin-Myers in free agency. He can come in and compete for playing time with the likes of Sai'vion Jones and Eyioma Uwazurike.
Josh Edwards of CBS Sports wasn't a big fan of the pick, calling it the team's most "eyebrow-raising" of the draft.
"Despite not having a first-round pick, Denver filled in some of the gaps on its roster nicely with Washington running back Jonah Coleman, Boise State lineman Kage Casey, and NC State tight end Justin Joly. Onyedim also filled a void created by the departure of John Franklin-Myers. However, it was a bit early relative to how I graded the player", wrote Edwards.
That's not necessarily saying it's a bad pick, but more nitpicking a draft class just to find a pick that may have been made too early, as he chose one of these players for every team. However, Zachary Pereles of CBS Sports might be inclined to agree with this take, as he states that defensive line is still the Broncos' biggest need following the draft.
Pereles lists Calais Campbell as a free agent who could help solve that problem, but he was recently signed by the Baltimore Ravens.
"The Broncos lost very little this offseason outside John Franklin- Myers, but Franklin- Myers is a considerable loss. The Broncos used an early third-round pick on Tyler Onyedim, but Campbell is still playing at a high level at 39 and would provide an immediate upgrade for a team looking to win a Super Bowl", wrote Pereles.
What is Broncos' biggest need following the draft?
With Campbell off the market, the biggest names still out there include D.J. Reader, David Onyemata and DaQuan Jones. But it's unlikely the Broncos sign any of them.
Instead, the team will push forward with what it has, which includes a likely starting lineup of Zach Allen, Malcolm Roach and D.J. Jones followed by Sai'vion Jones, Uwazurike and Onyedim. The Broncos may need multiple players to replace the production of Franklin-Myers, but they seem prepared to do that.
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Inside linebacker depth remains the team's biggest area of weakness. Behind projected starters Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad, the team will have to look for a veteran in free agency or hope the proposed move of Jonah Elliss to the inside creates a huge spark.
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